Slughorn
by Rumour of an Alchemist
Summary: 'Being the exciting life and adventures (or at least the grind of day to day travails) of the head of Slytherin house and senior potions master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry' This story is supporting/background material to 'Saint Potter' alternate universe. Rated 'M'. Chapter 2 notes expanded, 18th June, 2014.
1. August 1991, The New Duelling Captain

(Minor revisions to text of this chapter for better sense, August, 2015)

'…_And admit that the waters Around you have grown…'_

-Bob Dylan, _The Times They Are A-Changin'_

Disclaimer: I am not J. K. Rowling. I do not own Harry Potter. For the record, I am not Leslie Charteris either, nor do I own The Saint.

Note: The following is set in an alternate 'Harry Potter' universe, which was impacted by Simon Templar. Some 'Harry Potter' characters and events in this particular 'crossover' universe differ considerably from their canon equivalents. In this particular universe, James Potter married Selene Tilde Tombs, and Sophie Theresa Potter (their daughter) is 'The-Girl-Who-Lived'.

Further Note: This particular story is concerned with the doings of Horace Slughorn in the 'Saint Potter' universe. This chapter sees him about an errand during the summer of 1991, a couple of weeks before the start of the 1991-1992 school year. This is background/supporting material for the 'Saint Potter?' story. 'Slughorn' is rated 'M'.

Pronunciation: 'pi-doing' is a nonsense word, pronounced 'pi' as in 'pip' and 'doing' rhyming with 'boing'. The word is used as an approximation of the sound an alarm-clock spring breaking might make.

* * *

_Saturday, 17__th__ August, 1991_

The end of the latest Hogwarts school year had left Horace Slughorn – senior potions teacher and head of Slytherin house of the aforementioned school – with something of a problem. Although the governors themselves had dealt with the three offenders of the 'boil in the bath' incident, taking disciplinary actions that they considered appropriate (and with which Horace himself was not inclined to disagree) an unfortunate side-issue had arisen as a consequence from the whole nasty business – which had proven quite a headache for Horace. He had agonised over the matter for weeks, in between his more regular summer holiday activities (such as compiling his usual mental dossier of the next school year's scheduled new pupil intake and checking that the school's stock and equipment levels corresponded with the planned brewing schedules within the constraints of the departmental budget). It was with something of a shock that he realised that it was now the middle of August (chasing down details of some of the overseas prospective pupils and negotiations necessitated by the unfortunate rise in cauldron costs had occupied more of his attention than he'd anticipated), and that he was going to have to decide to do _something_.

Horace Slughorn's dilemma centred upon this: William Troughton _had_ been earmarked to take over the position of captain of the Slytherin duelling team from the outgoing Mr. Bingham, but Mr. Troughton's bloody stupid involvement in the incident at the end of last term (no point to mincing words about it) had resulted in his being one of those whom the governors decided to absent from Hogwarts for much of the coming school year, so clearly Horace had to find someone else to be captain; regrettably, though, Mr. Troughton had been the most _mild-mannered_ option amongst the available competent duellists in Slytherin house best suited by age and experience to fill the role. If Horace were to refuse to appoint anyone more idiotic on certain matters than Mr. Troughton had been (and Horace had reached the point where he was fully determined to put his foot down on his house on certain things) then clearly the pupil who stepped into Mr. Bingham's shoes was not going to be a top-flight duellist. That would pose problems to Mr. Bingham's successor though; such a pupil would need to be capable of holding their own against and quelling the more boisterous elements of Slytherin, if and when the house decided to make any feelings felt over the absence of a dazzling duelling star from the role.

There was actually _one_ possible candidate, whose name had occurred to Horace the moment he had first heard about the 'boil in the bath' incident and had known that it would be utterly impossible for Mr. Troughton to be the next Slytherin duelling captain. Someone who had been on Horace's mind even before the school governors had saved Horace a good deal of bother by reaching their decision to suspend Mr. Troughton for quite so long. Unfortunately, said pupil was already a prefect, and Horace had no idea if she would _want_ the extra work of the duelling team in addition to her pre-existing duties – hence his hesitation over the matter, whilst he hoped divine inspiration for an equally good alternative might strike.

And which, given the length of time that he had spent pondering this issue, brought him here this morning on a personal call to the elegant Regency London townhouse of the Gaunt family. (Attired in suitably smart muggle fashion, naturally.)

Up until a couple of generations ago, the Gaunt family had been notorious in the wizarding world as a family of lunatic pureblood recluses, fallen into abject poverty, and possessed of little more than a tendency towards violence and a disproportionate sense of pride over their ancestry. Then, without warning, in the mid-1940's, Marvolo Gaunt (what passed for the senior member of the family at that time) had burned down a house full of muggles who lived in the vicinity of the hovel that was the then Gaunt family abode – being sent to Azkaban for what was left of _his_ life for his trouble – and Marvolo's son, Morfin, had married a _muggle_. True she was a muggle woman from the upper tiers of muggle society, and from a wealthy family at that, but this was behaviour so uncharacteristic of a _Gaunt_ that it became in very short order the talk of wizarding society. The general consensus was that Morfin must have completely lost his marbles – perhaps under the strain of being the last of his line.

The match had lasted a little over a year, before one morning Morfin had loaded a muggle shotgun and _killed_ himself. (Why he had chosen such a muggle fashion to end his life in had provided yet another matter for intense speculation for wizarding Britain.) However, by that point, Morfin's marriage had already engendered one child – a son, Robert – and another was on the way. Morfin's wife had moved back in with her parents, apparently as bewildered over what had happened as everyone else, and soon the gossips had found other scandals to wag their tongues over.

Morfin's son had turned out to be a wizard however (as had his subsequently born sister a witch). Both children had been sent at the insistence of their muggle mother and grandparents to muggle public schools, with a private tutor hired to give them sufficient lessons in magic that they knew enough not to embarrass themselves. And when Robert (becoming with age a successful businessman) had married and _his_ children had turned out to have magic, he had insisted on his sons receiving the same public muggle school/private wizard tutor combination for education that he himself had had. His daughters, however, he had sent to Hogwarts, and the elder, Helen, was due to commence her sixth year (in Slytherin) this coming September.

And Helen was a Parselmouth – suggestive of some sort of descent from Salazar Slytherin himself – which gave her a good deal of cachet in Slytherin house, _despite_ her half-blood status. And when Horace had made her a prefect last year (there would have been trouble, one way or another in the house, if he hadn't) it had turned out that she was actually quite good at handling people, too. And _sensible_.

Which latter, unfortunately, meant that if she considered it too much work, and potentially adverse to her studies, that Horace could probably expect her to turn down the post of duelling captain of Slytherin. Hence the reason for this personal visit, in case she should prove to be borderline over whether to accept it or not, and something which Horace could do or say in person, would achieve what an owl-sent letter would not.

She certainly wasn't the best with a wand in the house for her age, or at least not in a duel situation, but she undoubtedly had leadership qualities and near-universal respect in Slytherin.

Horace mounted the short flight of steps up to the front door and rang the doorbell, then stepped back to await admittance. He _had_ sent a short note a couple of days ago, giving notice of this intended visit (though not of any reason for it other than 'school business').

* * *

Horace had no idea in what fashion Miss Gaunt's room at Hogwarts was decorated – he had never had need to intrude upon her at school in the girls' dormitories – but he suspected that there would be certain fundamental differences in how it was furnished, as compared to her room here at her family home. Here, amidst the chaos of books and dresses, and a bed covered with a duvet patterned with abstract triangles in odd colours, there was a mirror on a dressing table with an array of distinctly muggle makeup products lined up in front of it.

There were also several pictures clipped from muggle magazines and a couple of posters stuck to the wall of a man with a violin. The larger of the posters featured him posing in a damp shirt that was hanging partly open, with the violin tucked under his chin and one hand raised with a bow apparently about to play, and what excitable females (and conceivably a good many more generally level-headed ones, too) might well describe as a _smouldering_ expression on his face. Alongside these images, there was also a framed page (slightly crumpled) which appeared to have been torn from a musical score with some sort of autograph and message scrawled upon it.

There was a distinctly derelict looking muggle television with a wonky 'coathanger' aerial, perched on a folding stool in a corner.

There was a stuffed snake of some description mounted on a couple of brackets (an example of the taxidermist's craft, Horace presumed) whose type did not appear to be any British one with which Horace was familiar.

There were several muggle photographs of various members of Miss Gaunt's family, and _one_ magical one of her and a couple of her female friends from her year, which appeared to have been taken during a Hogsmeade visit the previous school year (the scene involved the trio in some piece of endlessly repeating girlish jostling activity outside of the Three Broomsticks).

And there was of course Miss Gaunt herself, resplendent, despite the distinctly respectable hour and the advance notice that Horace had supplied, in a pair of pastel pink pyjamas that featured some sort of cartoon dog lying on his back on top of a stylised kennel with an accompanying 'thought bubble' to the effect that weekends never lasted long enough. Apparently she had only just woken up.

Someone considerably less professional and experienced than Horace might well have had trouble keeping their gaze from wandering from Miss Gaunt's face and her hazel-coloured eyes, whilst addressing her in such an irregular state of attire.

"Ahem. Was my note giving advance warning of this call misplaced somehow?" Horace enquired, trying not to sound too gruff.

"No Professor." She glanced and scowled in the direction of a bedside table. "Yet another alarm-clock seems to have gone kaphutt."

She made a small 'exploding' motion with her hands.

"Oh? Battery operated?" (Electrical things were prone to breakdown occasionally in areas of magic, and this was at least a semi-magical household.)

"Clockwork, sir. Maybe I should go back to getting cheap ones off a market. These posh ones barely seem to last six months before the spring goes 'pi-doing', and I'm not even here for most of that time." She narrowed her eyes. "Unless James has started using them for his physics experiments again whilst I'm away at school. If he _has_, I'll make him wish he'd been sent to school in Timbuktu, come the Christmas holidays, instead of Harrow." She smiled, evilly. "After all, my dear-little-brother is a wizard by birth, and by Christmas I'll be of age, with no Ministry bother if I decide to hex him till he's blue in the face and screaming for mercy.

"Quite, quite." Horace said, considering it impolitic (and highly unwise) to get involved in the mechanics of a brother-sister feud about respect (or lack thereof) for one another's personal property. "Well, to come to the point of my call, as you may recollect, the last school year tragically ended with several pupils in very hot water – two Hufflepuffs nearly literally so, and the three students who attempted to put them there very much so with the staff and school governors, once what they'd intended came to light. I'm not sure what word regarding the final punishment of the perpetrators may have reached you here, but during the early part of the holiday the governors convened, and Mr. Brigstocke has taken an early and permanent leave of the school, and Mr. Troughton and Miss Fitzroy will only be permitted to attend Hogwarts during the latter stages of this coming academic year, being basically permitted to return just in time to sit their OWL exams a year late."

"The Fitzroy girl's the one who _ought_ to be expelled." Miss Gaunt scowled. She was apparently sufficiently upset by the result that she was speaking with an unusual degree of informality to her head of house for once. "She's a manipulative witch and I'd stake my life that she was the brains behind it. Half the school knew she had a grudge against Davies and Leghorn."

"The governors took the view that they could go easier on Miss Fitzroy, since she was the youngest of the three and the non-Slytherin in the plot." Horace said in a carefully neutral tone. "Apparently they were all for letting her off altogether, until word came through from the Ministry that the Minister himself wanted to see her disciplined, so that no suspicion of her 'family connections' could be thought to have 'got her off'."

Phyllis Fitzroy was Cornelius Fudge's niece, by one of his wife's brothers, and it was rumoured in certain circles that the Minister's wife didn't get on too well with said brother. It would be hopelessly inappropriate though for Horace to pass on that little titbit of gossip, and suggest there may have been further possible influence on the Minister's coming out against Miss Fitzroy.

The news that Miss Fitzroy had been more severely treated by authority than she might otherwise have been, seemed to soothe Miss Gaunt, and she rapidly regained her usual composure.

"But at any rate:" Horace continued, "Mr. Troughton has effectively 'deselected' himself from participation in school life for most of the coming year, by his actions, but – as I have no doubt that you had heard – he _was_ in line to take over the position of captain of the Slytherin duelling team this year. Consequently, I'm looking around for someone else to step into the role, instead – a calmer head is more important than ability to wipe the floor with most opponents in under thirty seconds flat, in these circumstances, I feel – and I was wondering if I could interest you in obliging?…"

"Really, sir? In addition to my prefect duties?"

She sounded surprised. Her tone was also polite, respectful, and inquisitive in _just_ the right amounts – but the moment of hesitation that had preceded it and a faint emphasis about her words (to Horace's acutely trained social antennae) had more than a hint to them of 'well just what's going to be in this for me, to take on this extra work'?

That looked distinctly good for Horace – if she was already disposed to bargain at this stage, it meant that the bulk of the job of persuasion was already as good as done, and all that was left was the haggling – at which Horace was expert…

* * *

Author Notes: (minor revisions April 26th, 2014, due to previous fuzziness over the Troughton/Fitzroy suspensions)

As mentioned in the opening notes, some characters and events have diverged somewhat from those of their Harry Potter canon counterparts. This began in the period between the first and second world wars, when Simon Templar was particularly active, and building a name for himself, his fame especially spreading in Britain, and even when the deeds themselves did not directly impact, word of them influencing some people...

By the summer of 1991, Hogwarts in this universe has had an inter-house dueling competition for a number of years.

To clarify, regarding the 'boil in the bath' incident, the guiding spirit was an at the time fifth year Ravenclaw pupil, Phyllis Fitzroy, who carried a grudge against the two fifth year Hufflepuff 'targets', Samantha Davies and Romana Leghorn. Miss Fitzroy's stooges were (at the time) fifth year Slytherin pupil William Troughton and sixth year Slytherin pupil John Brigstocke. The latter two were caught in the act of setting a trap for Miss Davies and Miss Leghorn, and admitted under questioning that the plan (they called it a 'joke') had originated with Miss Fitzroy. Mr. Troughton, Mr. Brigstocke and Miss Fitzroy were immediately suspended, pending a meeting by the governors to decide upon the issue. The subsequent meeting of the school governors decided that Mr. Brigstocke would be expelled, and Mr. Troughton and Miss Fitzroy's suspension would be extended until some time after the following Easter - basically Mr. Troughton and Miss Fitzroy are out until it's time for the OWL exams (a year late).

Antony Bingham (the Slytherin dueling captain at the time) had no direct involvement in the actions of Mr. Troughton/Mr. Brigstocke/Miss Fitzroy. He was, however, in his last year of study at Hogwarts, which was why Horace Slughorn had (before the incident) provisionally nominated Mr. Troughton (on the team at the time) as the successor for the post of dueling captain.

To head off some possible lines of speculation, regarding Helen Gaunt, she is, as Horace Slughorn is correctly informed, a granddaughter of Morfin Gaunt. She is Tom Marvolo Riddle's first cousin once removed (if I understand the table on wikipedia correctly). Why Morfin married a muggle and subsequently killed himself involves one of those points of divergence of this universe from canon.

Update (13th March, 2014):

To try and clarify, since at least one reviewer seems to have been confused by all the Gaunts:

Marvolo Gaunt (as in canon) is the father of Merope and Morfin Gaunt.

Merope Gaunt (as in canon) is the mother of Tom Marvolo Riddle.

Morfin Gaunt is the father of Robert Gaunt and of another (a girl), who was not yet born when Morfin died.

As of August, 1991, Robert Gaunt is the father of four children. Two of them are boys and attend 'normal' boarding schools. James is the younger of these boys and attends Harrow. The two girls attend Hogwarts. Helen is the older of the girls and was sorted into Slytherin.


	2. September 1991, Sorting Night

Disclaimer: I am not J. K. Rowling. I do not own Harry Potter. For the record, I am not Leslie Charteris either, nor do I own The Saint.

Note: The following is set in an alternate 'Harry Potter' universe, which was impacted by Simon Templar. Some 'Harry Potter' characters and events in this particular 'crossover' universe differ considerably from their canon equivalents. In this particular universe, James Potter married Selene Tilde Tombs, and Sophie Theresa Potter (their daughter) is 'The-Girl-Who-Lived'.

Further Note: This particular story is concerned with the doings of Horace Slughorn in the 'Saint Potter' universe. This chapter sees him in the great hall of Hogwarts on the night of September 1st, 1991, dipping in and out of his thoughts during the sorting of the new first years, and tending to focus in particular on those moments involving first years assigned to Slytherin. This is background/supporting material for the 'Saint Potter?' story. 'Slughorn' is rated 'M'.

* * *

_Sunday, 1st September, 1991_

Horace might have felt aggrieved by the seating arrangements at the high table on any other night of the year. Albus was slap-bang in the middle, of course, with an empty seat to his left where Minerva would have sat had she not been busy with the first years, and then Filius next seat left. And at Albus' right hand, as guest of honour, of course, was the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, and then, Pomona Sprout. Horace himself was positioned one place further out, to Pomona's right, out of easy conversation range of the Minister.

Horace liked to consider himself a halfway decent conversationalist, and certainly up to speed on etiquette and the like. He certainly hadn't caused the Minister any offence, that he was aware of, in the little pre-sorting soiree, only a short while ago when he'd skilfully inserted himself a couple of times into the Minister's vicinity and conversations.

And even though the oldest of the Minister's children _was_ a pupil in Pomona's house (a fourth year, now, if Horace recalled correctly), still Horace liked to think that ordinarily he would have found more to converse over during the course of an evening than Pomona would manage to find, and yet…

Tonight _was_ 'sorting night'. If Horace _had_ been seated next to the Minister, he would have felt it his duty to converse with the man, and ensure (if Albus flagged) that he was kept entertained. With Pomona sitting next to the Minister, instead of Horace, Horace could keep quiet and focus his entire attention on what was about to come. Richert was to Horace's own immediate right, and would know better than to disturb Horace tonight for anything other than a matter of imminent emergency, or at least until dinner arrived.

There was a certain buzz of expectation in the air in the great hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry tonight – one which the Minister's own presence underlined and emphasised as to the significance of this occasion. There were palpable currents of tension and excitement flowing around the tables. There were Big Names due to be sorted tonight amongst the new first years.

Horace slightly adjusted his position in his chair, to get himself as comfortable as possible before the sorting got underway. It was certain to be a longer haul than usual, tonight, with fifty-one pupils, and apparently with Albus having given the hat orders to make darned sure of placements – none of this on again, check family traditions, 'Gryffindor/Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw/Slytherin', off again stuff.

As the first years, led by Minerva, finally shuffled in, blinking and staring at everything surrounding them (many glancing upwards at the ceiling to presumably verify any tales they might have heard of it, though most rapidly developing expressions of disappointment since the enchantment upon it was 'switched off' tonight due to the uninspiring weather outside), Horace flipped through his mental filing system. He'd spent a lot of time over the last few days readying himself for this moment, reviewing time and again everything he knew about this year's intake, and double-checking the 'page' in his mind for each first year – it was his duty to be as well briefed as possible, in advance, on his Slytherins, and until they went elsewhere, every first year was in theory a potential Slytherin. Given that there was only so much information he could keep up to date at any time in his head, the moment a first year went into a house other than his own it was time to discard the corresponding mental page. He grimaced. Some of the most talented and driven-to-forage-ahead pupils around were of course muggle-borns, determined to make their mark on an exciting new world, though the hat _never_ sent him any. Probably just as well given what that stupid Brigstocke/Troughton/Fitzroy business had shown of the elements of the 'old' Slytherin house to be still lurking beneath the surface. Even assuming Horace threw himself into dealing with problems he'd not previously gone looking for out of what had turned out an overly-optimistic hope that they'd dissolved away (which hopes having failed was an effort he now fully intended to make), it would still be a year or two before a lone muggle-born might be comfortable in Slytherin. Fortunately the hat, even with a direction to disregard usual sorting traditions, would surely recognise that.

Thoughts and regrets regarding muggle-borns aside, there was tonight's business to be gone through now first and foremost, however _that_ should play out. One page was already gone from Horace's mental dossier – Pansy Parkinson's family had decided to send her to Durmstrang at the last minute; and due to a casual remark by Quirinus at the staff meeting earlier today, Horace had had to engage in some rather fascinating and frenetic last-minute research concerning the background of another pupil. Muggles weren't usually anywhere near as interesting…

The headmaster stood up and, clearly enjoying himself hugely, called for the hat (and for Growff). Hogwarts' official Defence Against the Dark Arts Troll shuffled in (scaring some of the first years witless, whilst others looked on in awe), bringing the hat with him, then bowed out again.

Albus sat down and the hat sung this year's song. Horace noticed the implicit threat of '…_cross me and depart these halls_…' and blinked. Had the hat actually just threatened to throw pupils out if they messed it around?

The hall was applauding the song. Horace joined in. Minerva called the first name, and 'Abasinger, Deborah' nervously headed up to the stool to be sorted. One short wait later, and the hat sent her to Ravenclaw. Horace discarded her page from his mental dossier and clapped absent-mindedly along with the rest of the staff and Ravenclaw tables. He'd remember her name, yes, but she was Filius' concern now. No need for Horace to keep all that stuff in his head about her parents, the details of her funding for her Hogwarts place, or that bit about the 'potions accident' on a Carribean island of a couple of summers ago.

A couple more sortings, and then: 'Black, Kara'

Horace ran over the most prominent points about her on his mental crib sheet:

* Pure-blood heiress of House Black (daughter of Regulus Arcturus Black!), stupendously rich magical family, political favours and debts owed to her as (not yet of age) head-of-family from all directions, but absent from the wizarding world and little known of since the end of the Wizarding War due to perhaps not undue concern by her mother that with the demise or imprisonment of all adult male Blacks the Ministry of Magic might attempt to claim custody of Kara for their own ends. (Possibility Severus may have had information on her whereabouts and very occasional contact with her – not that he's ever said anything to indicate such.) Filius delivered her Hogwarts letter personally (on Albus' instructions) and reports her pleasant enough, but annoyed at having had to be in hiding from potential ministry meddling, pre-wand age. Filius also reported she seems proud of what she's ever heard about her father. Arranged to embark on the Express at Carstairs, presumably to minimise potential hassle on the train.

Kara's father, Regulus, had, of course, been one of Horace's all-time favourite students from that particular generation.

Horace and the rest of the school waited as the hat pondered Kara's fate, and then the members of his house burst out clapping and cheering whilst a groan and more reluctant applause followed from the other three houses as she became the first Slytherin of the night. Horace's heart skipped a beat in excitement. It was going to brighten his year considerably – and perhaps be one of the few good things to hold onto, if things got really rough – to have Regulus' daughter in Slytherin. Especially if she turned out to be _truly_ interested in her father's work and perhaps in taking it forward. (Not that Horace would push anything on her.) He beamed and applauded enthusiastically.

* * *

More sortings followed. Horace was aware that Pomona, to his left, was giving occasional slight starts at some of the Hufflepuffs she was getting this year. For once, the hat seemed to be avoiding dumping any students on Horace whose sole ambitions seemed to be to say 'yes sir' and to try to learn how to spell 'unforgiveable curses'. That might help with what he was going to have to do, of course. Horace instinctively glanced at Minerva, standing and calling the names of pupils, when Tracey Davis went into Gryffindor. The Davises were influential in some quarters, but had certain, unsavoury reputations. He was sure he saw Minerva's face twitch *slightly* in response to the hat's pronouncement which landed Miss Davis in her house, but maybe it was just a trick of the light.

At any rate Tracey Davis wasn't going to be Horace's boon or burden now, and he discarded her mental entry.

More sortings, then:

'Finch-Fletchley, Justin'

* Muggle-born (thus likely not Slytherin). Family well-off aristocrats (father is thirteenth and 'current' Earl of Sandmarket), going back several hundred years as far as title goes, with extensive connections in muggle finance. Justin down for top muggle school (Eton) before offered place at Hogwarts. Youngest child – two older brothers (also, in so much as she 'counts', an elder sister) – so unlikely to inherit family title. Academic abilities unknown – schools previously attended _very_ discreet – but (according to Aurora who delivered Justin's letter) parents were already aware that magic is real and that Justin is a wizard, due to some Highlands trip the previous year. Apparently the Finch-Fletchleys had already made efforts to buy books and hire private tutors to try to get Justin up to speed, so at least encouragement and support from parents to fit in plus achieve academically. Parents did enquire of Aurora if Hogwarts had a branch of some muggle organisation called 'the sea scouts' – suggestive of possible fondness for boats on Justin's part.

Horace thoughtfully surveyed young Justin, trying to guess where the hat would put him. Gryffindor, maybe, or Hufflepuff? By the standards of muggle fashion he was well-dressed, but didn't look like a Ravenclaw. To be honest, had he actually been anything other than a muggle-born, Horace would have pegged him as a likely…

"Slytherin!"

Horace blinked and barely managed to avoid choking in surprise. He managed to turn it into a slight cough, before starting to clap. It was just as well that food had yet to be served.

He wasn't ready for this! It was going to take _at least_ a full school year of his addressing certain tendencies which he needed to deal with before Slytherin house was even remotely suitable for a muggle-born; maybe a term if he went absolutely flat-out with an iron-fist-in-velvet-glove approach.

Okay, calm down and think things through, _rationally_. As far as a first-muggle-born-to-be-sorted-into-Slytherin-for-Merlin-knew-how-long went, Justin had certain _advantages_. At least he was from a muggle _titled family_, and a relatively rich one at that. Probably one richer than even most 'old' families in magical Britain. Horace went over the minutiae of what he could remember Aurora having said about Justin – she had taken him and his father shopping in Diagon Alley after all – and on that occasion, according to Aurora, both father and son had been polite and well-mannered. They'd also been very interested in what she'd been able to tell them about how the British magical community was run – though they were already familiar with the existence and part played by Gringotts and of some of the other basics – and had asked her for recommendations of texts on that subject, beyond certain popular, well-known ones which they'd already laid hands on. Aurora said that along with the usual school supplies, they'd even made an extra book-purchase in Flourish &amp; Blotts on the basis of her reply.

Hmmmm. If Horace could persuade his house to leave Justin alone for a term or two, it was _possible_ that the more unpleasant elements might grudgingly concede young Justin was 'okay' or at least someone that they could tolerate in silence. Still, this was going to take a lot of work on Horace's part, and he was going to have to clearly get a very firm warning out to the house, very soon, about ways it was _not_ appropriate to behave, in-house.

It would be a nerve-racking year for Horace, but this _might_ be workable…

* * *

Several pupils sorted into Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, another of them (Mr. Goyle) getting a distinct look of surprise from Pomona. Honestly she ought to be getting used to this by now. Most years Horace had to grin and bear the sorts which Pomona was getting right now (although Minerva had been known to have the odd pupil with a tendency to take 'simple but direct' approaches sent in her direction, too). It was hardly a surprise to Horace that Slytherin usually finished in last place for the quidditch or house cups most years. Even with young Woods made captain of the Slytherin quidditch team last year (it had been a desperate gamble to appoint what had then only been a fourth year, but it had paid off with second place), Slytherin had hardly covered itself in glory in the stakes of Hogwarts' 'in-school' contests. Still, on another day Horace would have felt more sympathy for Pomona if the likes of 'Goyle, Gregory' going her way right now weren't making the survival of Justin Finch-Fletchley in Slytherin that little bit more likely.

Another first-year called:

'Great White Bear'

* American, of the 'native' (Indian) variety. Actual name hideously complicated to spell and pronounce (must practise, though, if he does end up in Slytherin). Here funded by the ICW due to Albus Dumbledore's flibberting around in his capacity as Supreme Mugwump. (Some sort of crusade of Albus' against prejudice in the magical community in the United States.) Half-blood or pure-blood (confirmed magical parentage at least), possibly grounded in very different magical techniques to those practised in Europe. Not much otherwise known.

He carried himself almost proudly as he walked to learn his destination by the hat, Horace thought.

After a while the hat put Great White Bear in Slytherin.

That was interesting, not least in that the international angle touching Hogwarts this year had just lent its presence to Slytherin. Horace wasn't sure what to make of this young man. What he'd been able to discover about his background and culture had been exceedingly limited.

And the next pupil up was:

'Greengrass, Daphne'

* Pure-blood, parents 'in trade' (spice, tea &amp; coffee dealers; occasional 'under the counter' botanical potions supplies to special customers, too), mother known small-time Death-Eater during war (paid fine afterwards for pardon), father revealed after the war to have been small-time ministry-informant; no sign of any 'views' or political activities since end of war, suggesting the family _may_ have simply played both sides to make the best of the situation for the family business – still, what ideology they might subscribe to in private currently unknown. Daphne eldest child, with two younger brothers. Daphne fond of riding ponies, although not afforded much chance to pursue the activity.

Peering at Miss Greengrass, down the length of the hall, Horace was unable to immediately determine anything much from her demeanour or dress of whether she might be a nascent bigot.

At any rate, before long Miss Greengrass ended up in Slytherin.

Horace sighed, and hoped she wasn't going to be trouble.

* * *

More sortings, more pupils going elsewhere. More pupils ruthlessly excised from the mental notebook. Twenty or thirty years ago, Horace could have kept pertinent information for the entirety of every year in the school in his head. These days things were getting a bit crowded, and he was getting an old man. Too many regrets. Well, one BIG regret, actually – namely one Tom Marvolo Riddle. Why hadn't Horace spotted the direction that young Mr. Riddle had been headed in? Had Mr. Riddle been completely bad back then, or had disillusionment and cynicism set in after he left Hogwarts, his career choices perhaps thwarted by his unknown background, pushing him ever further in the direction where armed struggle was the eventual and logical consequence?…

'Longbottom, Neville'

* Pure-blood from old family – distinguished family until previous generation (parents turned out to be werewolves and turned on fellow aurors first full-moon after Voldemort defeated). Guardian: Augusta Longbottom (paternal grandmother – formidable woman). Both Neville and Augusta steadfastly maintain innocence of Neville's parents. Moderately rich family (weregeld payments to families of deceased set them back a hefty bit), a few political allies, Neville's principle known interests shooting (with crossbow), werewolf lore, and subscription to _Monster Hunter's Monthly_. No siblings. A few friends his own age, but not many.

An interesting boy, Horace thought to himself. Looked more mature than most eleven year olds. Probably a result of the years of whispers and stories about his parents.

"Slytherin!"

Horace watched the boy heading for the first year Slytherin table with interest. Mr. Longbottom was either extremely dark or extremely driven, he estimated. He just hoped it was the latter – quest to clear his parents' names or something. Yes, that might fit, but another one he'd have to keep an eye on for a bit, just in case.

* * *

A couple of girls for Filius – twins, which would particularly please the head of Ravenclaw since he was always fascinated by the chance to mentor such students when they ended up in his house – and a boy for Pomona which caused her to look relieved rather more than concerned, then:

'Malfoy, Draco'

* Pure-blood. Family completely disappeared, disgraced and apparently bankrupt at end of the last war; family home of generations of Malfoys handed over to Ministry as no other means seemingly available at time to meet ministry fines for father's war-time activities. Parents not popular with mother's sister, Andromeda – sibling jealousy or something. Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy, known marked Death Eater, though something of a whipping boy by the end of the war according to what subsequent public accounts of Death Eater internal politics emerged. Family apparently not as destitute now as commonly believed by magical society (given current address in Kensington), although unknown if that the result of vault hidden from both Voldemort _and_ the ministry or of post-war activities. Could probably afford to move back into the wizarding world (financially) but remain living as muggles. (Possible fear of ongoing enmity from Andromeda?) Draco reportedly good student (although is that actual or a reputation bought by his parents?) at muggle schools attended until now. One sibling – younger sister, named 'Elizabeth' in probable complete break with family naming traditions.

Horace wasn't sure what to make of young Mr. Malfoy. The Malfoys had once been rabid blood-purists and wizarding supremacists, but that had been _before_ the last years of the war. That they'd spent so long living amongst muggles might have softened the family's attitudes – or at least made them much more cunning when it came to hiding them.

The fact that Draco had attended muggle schools _might_ mean he was at least less rigid and biased in his ideas than his parents had been at his age.

"Slytherin!"

Hmm. Another interesting pupil. Yet another one who would need to be watched.

* * *

A pupil, 'Moon, Lily', sorted into Gryffindor fairly quickly and then:

'Nott, Theodore'

* Pure-blood. One elder brother at school (Terence) in Slytherin (fourth year). Notts an old family, who are known blood-purists and wizarding supremacists. Father (Gaius Nott) Death Eater killed in Battle of Ministry in August 1980 (ironically, so the story goes, refusing the aid of one of the Death Eater's muggle-born recruits). Mother (Theodora Nott) known minor Death Eater, but in consideration of fact that she was the sole carer for two young children, fined only lightly to stay out of Azkaban when the war ended. Theodore reportedly highly intelligent, but of nervous disposition and low self-esteem. (Mother's attention lavished on his physically active elder brother.) Rumoured (despite family disdain for almost all things muggle) to have a weakness for collecting stamps.

Theodore's older brother, Terence, was what Horace would describe as 'cautiously bigoted'. He simply acted as if anyone who was muggle-born wasn't worth his time or attention, unless they had _obvious_ power or authority, such as a staff member. Back in the first year Terence had tried to act as if muggle-born staff members didn't exist either, until a week and a half into the year he'd run into Professor Snape. After his first History of Magic lesson, Terence had decided it was prudent _not_ to 'try it on' on members of the school teaching staff.

Who could tell how Terence's younger brother was going to act?

"Slytherin!"

Well Horace was going to find out rather soon now.

* * *

Horace pondered the possible outcomes of the Nott situation, and cast occasional glances from the pair of Indian twins being sorted (one into Ravenclaw it turned out, one into Gryffindor) at the social interactions ongoing at the Slytherin first year table. Theodore seemed to have taken one look around at the company, and then gone into a mode of socially distancing himself from and ignoring everyone else for now. If _he_ had any problems with Mr. Finch-Fletchley being a muggle-born, he wasn't making any fuss about it at the moment… And whilst Horace wasn't strictly in favour of quite such obvious aloofness amongst pupils in his house, he'd take it almost any day over overt hostilities – especially when the first muggle-born sorted into Slytherin for Merlin-knew-how-long was involved. As to the other first-years, they actually seemed to be getting along at present quite well, which was a _definite_ relief, as surely Mr. Finch-Fletchley's being a muggle-born must have come out by now.

And the next pupil up to be sorted:

'Perks, Sally-Anne'

* (Last pupil before one of the night's star-turns, Sophie Potter. Start paying _attention_ Horace, if you're not already doing so.) Half-blood. Father pure-blood, mother half-blood, family 'get by' with low-level ministry work by father in magical law-enforcement (carrying out cleaning work (including curse removal) at crime scenes). One younger sister and brother. Selected by her parents to benefit from Crouch's 'subsidised Hogwarts place for _one_ child of long-term ministry workers' scheme; family likely couldn't have afforded to send even her to Hogwarts, otherwise. Miss Perks interested in fashion – constantly in and out of Madam Malkin's in Diagon Alley, working as unpaid assistant for past year or so, carrying out errands such as serving refreshments to important customers, and hand-cutting materials too delicate for wand-handling. Chatty cheerful girl. Obvious interest in fashion. Probably aspirational for a future in the clothing trade.

She _looked_ bright and bubbly and cheerful there (as well as somewhat nervous) sitting under the Sorting Hat. She was one of those occasional pupils who whilst being sorted looked around in _all_ directions.

"Slytherin!"

Horace did a double-take.

(Fortunately by instinct, his hands were already automatically in motion with the call of 'Slytherin'.)

Miss Perks looked far too obviously _cheerful_ to be a Slytherin. She looked much more like a Hufflepuff.

She certainly didn't seem the sort to be cunning and underhanded, so she must be incredibly ambitious then on some counts – probably hideously stubbornly so. Maybe wanted to be a big-time robes-maker some day, or something like that.

Horace just hoped the hat had known what it was doing with Miss Perks.

Anyway, on with the next sorting; one of the ones which _everyone_ had been waiting for:

'Potter, Sophie'

* Girl-Who-Lived. Parents James Potter (wizard, pure-blood) and Selene Tilde Potter (muggle, _née_ Tombs). Multiple stories in circulation about her in wizarding world, mostly contradictory…

Horace's mental run-down derailed as Miss Potter came forwards. The hall was in gentle hubbub, as she walked forward, and she paused now to address them _all_.

"That's 'Sophie _Theresa_ Potter'. No unicorn today, but I did bring my middle name instead."

Egads! She'd just addressed _the whole school_. Some first years needed a firm but well-intentioned helping hand from Minerva just to _reach_ the stool, so overcome were they by the situation. Miss Potter had _extra_ expectations and attentions on her, which she _must_ be aware of, but she was apparently impervious to the pressure.

She coolly sat down and looked _straight down the hall at the table where Horace and the other teachers and the Minister himself were sitting_.

Insanely brave – or calculated front? Or something else? She'd declined the opportunity of an auror escort on the Express, according to Lily.

Horace went back into his mental run-down.

* …Multiple stories in circulation about her in wizarding world, mostly contradictory and consequently difficult to be certain of what exactly in them is true. Known to be only uninjured (bar a small scar on forehead) survivor of an attack by Lord Voldemort and some of the elite witches and wizards of his inner circle upon supposed safe-house in Godric's Hollow where Potters were staying at the time. (Several Death Eaters survived too but in heavily damaged conditions and were easily captured.) Reason for attack unknown, but much speculation regarding possible causes ranging from prophecy-inspired to Voldemort not liking that Mrs. (Selene) Potter was a muggle to James having discovered the treachery of his one-time friend, Sirius Black, and it being an attempt to silence James that went badly wrong. Some of Miss Potter's further muggle relatives (great-uncle and great-grandfather) known killed in attack along with her parents, and raised by maternal grandfather (another muggle) somewhere in muggle world. Unusual wand (Ollivander 'special') with dual-nature core. Miss Potter presumed inheritor of Potter fortune. (James Potter liquidated practically all known properties/assets upon demise of his parents, and converted them into gold, stored in Gringotts.) Only child.

That was pretty much the sum of what Horace had had in his mental dossier about Miss Potter until earlier today, given the way that she'd been sequestrated away from the magical world somewhere impossible to magically locate. Following this morning's staff-meeting, he'd buttonholed Quirinus and asked him some rather urgent questions, if not directly about Miss Potter, then certainly on a topic highly pertinent and definitely connected to her. Now the entry continued:

* Great-grandfather (deceased – 'gas explosion' – seems suspicious?) believed by Quirinus to be highly notorious muggle 'Simon Templar', who appears to have led a highly interesting and active life for a muggle. Robbery, blackmail, murder, and Merlin-knows-what-else-activities either suspected or confirmed but not criminally chargeable. Targets of Templar only ever those of highly questionable moral character, and multiple donations of loot exacted from such sources contributed to charities or victims of targets. (Reported amongst muggles that Templar generally only ever kept ten percent of anything taken for himself.) Templar never convicted of _any_ serious criminal charge, despite a long and varied career. Charming, charismatic, bold, daring, popular, cunning (multiple aliases), loyal to friends… Man seems to have been some sort of natural phenomenon. Have to wonder if Miss Potter's _muggle_ relatives may have had a part in the relative failure of the Godric's Hollow raid?

Horace sat there now, looking at Miss Potter, and wondering what sort of conversation was going on in her head? She looked calm – very calm – and her expression gave almost nothing away, although Horace noticed ever so _slight_ signs which seemed to indicate that Miss Potter was engaged in a highly vigorous discussion with the Sorting Hat.

At last:

"Slytherin!"

After a moment's hesitation, the Slytherin tables erupted, those with any sense nudging any comrades who were slightly slower off the mark into action. She was famous and potentially influential, and right now only the most rabidly pro-Voldemort pupils ought to have any _logical_ objection to her being in their house – and such persons would of course mark themselves out as such by not applauding. In fact, as the rest of the hall slowly and reluctantly started to join in, clapping… Oh dear: Theodore Nott at the first year table, Horace's gaze falling on him, looked like he was about to faint or something, and seemed to be showing a distinct _lack_ of enthusiasm over this sorting. He eventually managed a few half-hearted claps, at the point by which the whole hall was applauding, but far too late to avert Horace's attention. Hmmm. That delay might have been due to Theodore's having been overcome by surprise at the situation, but that 'frozen' expression had seemed to Horace's keen eye like one of almost _terror_. Horace switched his attention to the Slytherin fourth year table, as the applause started to die away, but Theodore's brother, Terence, seemed as politely interested and excited about the sorting as anyone sitting with him – so whatever it was had been possibly just something to do with Theodore and not a broader Nott family 'thing'. One more reason for Horace to keep an eye on the younger Nott though; maybe even enough cause for him to make some discreet enquiries.

Minerva, Horace's roving eye had incidentally taken in, looked sick as the metaphorical parrot about this sorting result. Obviously she hadn't thought it possible that James Potter's daughter could turn out as anything other than a dyed-in-the-wool Gryffindor.

* * *

'Al Rashid, Suliman'

What? Another pupil being sorted so soon? Horace could have done with a break to digest Miss Potter being sorted into Slytherin.

Oh well, here we go again…

* Muggle-born, junior member of a royal family. Bi-lingual. Family in tricky situation due to politics ongoing constantly in region they live and rule in, but family somehow manage to keep a balance between most of the interests in the region and to keep selling whatever minerals it is that the muggle world wants from them. Decision to send Suliman to Hogwarts might be partially down to the family not wanting to get involved in the highly convoluted _magical_ politics of the region in addition to what they already have to cope with. Level of education unknown, since members of his family privately tutored in early years, rather than sent to schools. Multiple siblings, some of them half-brothers and sisters by other wives of his father, but not much else known about him, although assumed financially secure, but declined offer of auror escort, at least for first Express ride.

"Slytherin!"

Hmm. This could be tricky, Horace considered as he applauded. Whilst it was certainly _nice_ to have royalty sorted into one's house, he just hoped that Mr. al Rashid wasn't big-headed about his background, as that could get _very_ disruptive. And obviously there was the whole question of etiquette – just how _was_ Horace supposed to address a prince who had been assigned to his house? As 'your Highness'? As 'your royal Highness'? As simply plain 'Mr. al Rashid'?

At least Horace wasn't worried on account of Mr. al Rashid's being a muggle-born placed in Slytherin. Even the stupidest amongst those of the upper year Slytherins usually most prejudiced on that count would conveniently turn a blind-eye to his non-magical parentage, quite simply _because_ said parentage also happened to make him royalty – well, they would, unless he overtly made himself objectionable in other ways. And conceivably, they might even go easier on Mr. Finch-Fletchley, for fear of giving offence by association to Mr. al Rashid. Yes, _if_ Mr. al Rashid turned out to be an agreeable sort of young prince, then this might make it slightly easier for Horace to push through some of the things that would need doing, or at least to keep Mr. Finch-Fletchley intact. And Horace had considerably fewer concerns over Mr. al Rashid being targeted than about Mr. Finch-Fletchley…

As a random thought, that was three Slytherin sorts in a row, Horace mused.

* * *

Various pupils going to other houses, mixed in with the near-calamity of the Zacharias Smith sorting. Filius was fortunately fast enough with his wand to immobilise Mr. Smith down most of the length of the great hall and save the hat from a kicking. After that the von Stauffenberg sorting to calm everyone down again. Horace wouldn't have minded the von Stauffenberg boy – they were a much respected family in both the magical and non-magical worlds. Still, he couldn't argue the boy looked the sort of honest, honourable, upright Gryffindor that was amongst the very best that that house sometimes claimed…

'Studsley, Sarah'

* Muggle-born, from single-parent family – raised by mother, but father's identity known, and _not_ a wizard. No full-siblings, but several *possible* half-siblings (on father's side) a matter of speculation. Scholarship student from council-estate in northern England. Muggle school reports indicate exceedingly driven and determined to 'better herself' and rise above the rather poor circumstances of her birth – fact that she's a _muggle-born_ but still somehow managed to find out about and obtain a scholarship (from the Phineas Nigellus Black fund, of all those available!) seems to support this. Likely an on-and-off-again Slytherin sort if she weren't a muggle-born. Instead, possible Ravenclaw, although more likely Hufflepuff.

"Slytherin!"

_What in Merlin's name just happened?!_

Clap, Horace, clap. Smile and try to look pleased. She's a muggle-born from a near-destitute background here on a scholarship supposed (or at least the written tests are rigged that way) to be only for those with long magical backgrounds, but she's just been put in your house. She's your problem now, and keeping the upper years from eating her alive has just become one of your highest priorities. Mr. Finch-Fletchley's going to be a picnic by comparison. In fact with Miss Studsley in the house, Mr. Finch-Fletchley will likely hardly get a second glance, if he keeps his head down. Still, can't demand a re-sorting for her unless she wants one. Don't want to call into question any sortings, in case Albus decides to re-sort the entire year and someone like Crabbe or Goyle or Davis ends up being redirected into Slytherin. And remember, Horace, before you start plotting to do something which makes this the _last ever_ sorting to take place by hat, that you've got Kara Black and Miss Potter, which you might not have done, say, had the headmaster stuck pins 'at random' into a list. Well that and you were planning a shake-up this year anyway; it's just that the hat's just made reforming the house a lot more urgent and put insane stakes in front of you…

* * *

More pupils going elsewhere – including the daughter of last year's defence teacher – and the Weasley boy almost looking like melting on the spot in panic and ending up wanting to go home. Then:

'De Winter, Genevieve'

* Member of de Winter family of France – family who have been selectively mating for centuries to try and produce the 'perfect' mix of something almost purely veela, with just enough from other backgrounds to hold a wand effectively. Family has some political influence and is well-off, although weren't collaborators with the werewolves during the latter days of the Wizarding War (too slow off the mark?) and suffered politically as a consequence. Girl is reportedly 'studious' and good with English for her age (de Winters assign a second language to _all_ their children from an early age; Genevieve got English), but why are the de Winters sending her to _Hogwarts_ of all places? Beauxbatons has a curriculum in place _perfect_ for those of veela heritage – has done ever since the French magical government decided to shake things up after the Grindelwald war. Highly suspicious.

The girl looked sweet and innocent enough _now_, but give it a few years and her veela heritage coming to the fore and asbestos gloves might not be adequate to handle her. Please, Salazar, Merlin, and anyone else out there, put her in any house but Slytherin. Give her to Hufflepuff or Gryffindor, where she can have a bunch of unwitting servants, or let her be an intellectual and end up Filius' problem. Or send her home even, either thrown out like Smith or home-sick like Weasley. Just not my house…

"Slytherin!"

By Merlin's knitting needles, what had the hat just done? First the muggle-born on a scholarship, and now it had handed him some sort of mostly veela ticking bomb. And the odds were, she's cunning and/or ambitious too, given the placement…

Breathe, Horace, breathe. Clap and – even if looking pleased is out – at least look _interested_. You can do that.

* * *

No more Slytherins were forthcoming, leaving Horace to idly contemplate, as Albus started droning on with his pre-dinner announcements, how in Merlin's name he was expected to handle _this_ little lot, given the potential for catastrophes? For there was no doubt to Horace's mind that both Albus and Minerva would take the view that Horace would be personally responsible for ensuring that relative peace, if not exactly good-will, prevailed in Slytherin this coming year, unless he wanted to resign his position as head of house.

This was likely to get _very_ messy at some point, no two ways about it. Either Horace was going to have to be quite ruthless in one way, or else sooner or later the house would be in quite another, at least on the count of Miss Studsley. Some of the idiots might mock Miss de Winter too (or should that be _mademoiselle_ de Winter? – Horace probably should clarify that also, along with the al Rashid business) on account of her French origins and veela mother. And then (if other matters did not demand their attention more) there was the possibility that the odd child here or there might not like the notion of Miss Potter (the destroyer of Voldemort) being in their house, though it was unlikely that (at least initially) they would risk starting anything with a girl who had a reputation for defeating one of the most skilled and powerful wizards of the century and half a dozen members of his handpicked inner circle at the tender age of only one-and-a-quarter. There were limits to how far even bigoted stupidity would stick its neck out…

So: what to do?

Any kind of permanent or long-lasting solution regarding Miss Studsley was simply out of the question right now. Horace hadn't got any groundwork in place to make that kind of thing stick, and he wasn't comfortable trying to create anything long-term on the fly like some reckless Gryffindor, except as a truly last resort. So, something effective and short-term was called for – he may as well aim for achieving some kind of truce over Miss Studsley, to last at least up until Christmas if that could be done. At Christmas, there would no doubt be many discussions going on anyway in the households of Slytherin pupils who went home for the holiday, which would call for Horace to select a different approach to employ in January to try and stay one step ahead. Words were going to be the key here for any single-term solution – things almost always started with angry, nasty, spiteful words, and escalated from there. And the worst universally recognised word that there was, which would express an entire unfortunate attitude that could targeted at Miss Studsley, was 'mudblood'. Oh there were other terms and phrases, but 'mudblood' was short, brutal, and to the point, and a one word taunt that could be chanted over and over again. Horace therefore needed to take the use of 'mudblood' out of the equation, in-house, for use against Miss Studsley (and possibly, but unlikely, against the two boys too). Simply forbidding the use of the word wouldn't work though; a blanket ban would produce only defiance, which conceivably some of the less calculating Slytherins might mutter about in corners and eventually result in action being necessitated against them. No, what Horace would need was something more subtle…

He believed that he had a solution, but it would be touch and go if it would prove effective all the way up until Christmas, and he might have to have contingency measures to put in place, but the important thing was going to be getting something absolutely crystal clear on the 'mudblood' front out there right away. Horace was going to have to be _very_ firm on the point in his 'announcements to the whole house' tomorrow morning.

That just left the problem of the de Winter girl. Fortunately, it didn't have the potential to become a problem quite so fast as that of Miss Studsley's placement, or not unless someone with that much veela heritage suddenly turned into a siren literally overnight whilst still only a first year pupil. Well there was nothing for it, but Horace was going to have to write to Beauxbatons, and call in however many favours were necessary to get effective advice on how to cope with her – and get that advice and put whatever measures were needed in place _before_ she got old enough to start turning heads and wrapping members of the opposite sex around her little finger, obviously. As her head of house it was absolutely _essential_ that he be able to avoid being unduly influenced by her, further down the line.

By this point Albus had concluded his speech and to much fanfare (and by carefully coordinated, very thoroughly rehearsed, house elf effort), dinner was arriving. Horace of course, would be reviewing his usual first-years address as he ate…

In a moment of horror, Horace realised that his much-used and carefully-polished first year address of many years had been rendered potentially worse-than-useless due to the accident of his having three muggle-borns in the year. They certainly wouldn't have the same set of cultural references or knowledge base as pure-bloods or most half-bloods to work from. And worse still, _Miss Potter's presence_ would render the whole 'Voldemort' section a potential major _faux-pas_. So little of his usual speech was salvageable, that he was clearly going to have to do something else entirely – but what sort of questions might muggle-borns have or were things that they needed to know? Ah-ha, _that_ suggested a possible solution for what he could do instead – have some sort of questions and answers session, to ease them in and make them feel at home.

And _of course_ his planned whole-house lecture, with carefully devised moral subtext, for tomorrow morning was looking mostly useless, too, Horace glumly thought. He supposed he could dig out and recycle one of his previous lectures, but some of the older years would doubtless notice, and he'd been rather looking forward to showing off the new set of magic-lantern slides that he'd ordered up especially for this talk. Well he _could_ re-theme and pretty much rewrite the talk from scratch he supposed – in an ideal world, if he _could_ make it appropriate to the coming changes, that was what he _ought_ to do – but at his age that would require a distinctly uncomfortable effort. Still, work now might mean much less later, and if an adaptation could be done successfully, it would mean not completely wasting those slides. In fact on the topic of _adaptation_, for that matter…

To the appearance of Pomona Sprout, Horace had perhaps been slightly distant and distracted for the past few minutes, but now, plans whirring, and a direction selected, Horace tucked into his food with what would to most eyes look his usual gusto, no signs visible of the plans that were whirling away and the mechanical analysis taking place on the abacus of risk in his mind.

* * *

Author Notes:

To some extent this particular chapter is posted partly to provide convenient reference material for readers of the 'Saint Potter?' main story – hence the format of this particular chapter with the summaries of the most pertinent 'facts' that Horace Slughorn knows about the new Slytherin first years, as of September 1st, 1991.

In the Saint Potter universe, Cornelius Fudge is married and has children.

'Richert' is Professor Richert Wagner, the 'Director of Defence' at Hogwarts in the Saint Potter universe. Hogwarts in the Saint Potter universe has a staff list on some counts different from and in several departments expanded upon what is at the time of writing of these notes (June 2014) known of the canon Hogwarts staff list. A troll ('Growff') is on this expanded roster, so that higher level pupils have a target to practise stunning spells on and so forth.

Horace Slughorn in this universe is at least as well connected as his canon counterpart, and able to gather information from a number of legitimate sources of facts or of gossip about prospective pupils. It's naturally easiest for him to collect information about pupils/families that live in British magical society – he has considerably more information at his mental fingertips in such cases than the 'prominent points' highlighted in this chapter.

'Sandmarket' and Justin's father being the thirteenth earl are my own inventions.

As mentioned in other Saint Potter related material, in this universe _The Quibbler_ went out of publication when Xenophilius Lovegood was trampled to death by a snorkack. His widow started up a publication in its place called _Monster Hunter's Monthly_.

As indicated in other Saint Potter related material 'Professor Snape' is _Lily_ Snape. Although an employee of Hogwarts _Severus_ Snape is not a member of the teaching staff, thus is 'Mr. Snape'.

In the Saint Potter universe Horace Slughorn has a meeting with the first years, on sorting night, then the next morning after breakfast he gives a lecture to the whole house on some topic which has caught his fancy (such as the history of broomsticks or magical avians) and then delivers a number of announcements (including prefects and team-captains for the year).


End file.
